renegade_legionfandomcom-20200215-history
Hasta
Etymology The Galatin word hasta (pl. hastae) means a hand-held, broad-bladed thrusting spear, as opposed to the thrown pilum. The military rank of hastatus (changed in modern Galatin to Mastati), roughly equivalent to a CAF Corporal, takes its appellation from hasta-armed ancient Roman legionnaires. The tank has therefore the distinction of being named after an ancient Roman weapon, which is a tradition usually reserved for deep space-capable fighters such as the Pilum, Martiobarbulus or Gladius. Also contrary to the tradition (which has the relative weight and firepower of the fighter correspond to the heft of its namesake weapon), the Hasta is a frail and lightly armed combat vehicle hardly deserving the name of tank, despite the historical hasta being a solid, heavy weapon capable of dealing serious wounds. Production History The Hasta is designed and built by Kornilov-Santini Enterprises, a conglomerate based in the Mochov District. The primary stipulation of the military construction contract was low unit cost and mass production capability, and correspondingly, the firm made every effort of reducing production and overall costs. Design Philosophy and Tactical Role The Hasta is a mass-produced and widely distributed light ground vehicle commonly seen behind TOG lines. Typical duties include reconnaissance, population control, and rear area security. The Hasta is often deployed alongside the more numerous Vindicta armoured personnel carriers, providing flank protection and additional fire support. The TOG high command seems to feel that the two vehicles complement each other well. Fast, cheap and expendable (which, in the minds of TOG military planners, includes their crews), the Hasta is either fielded in large numbers to make up for its paper-thin armour and mediocre weapons load, or sent on reconnaissance or flanking sorties. Its protection and weaponry is sufficient for use against civilian protesters, insurgents and second-line troops, but woefully inadequate to take on even the lightest of grav vehicles. Price considerations were foremost in the Hasta´s development. The vehicle´s systems are simple and reasonably rugged, and the sturdy suspension can handle rough terrain, although the lack of a state-of-the-art suspension makes the ride rather jarring. The old and proven (and cheap) Armstrong 300 engine provides ample power to the movement system, making the tank one of the fastest ground vehicles on the battlefield with a top speed of 96 kph. Cutting corners in the production had a marked impact on the tank´s value as a combatant. The weapons load - a turret mounting a 1.5/5 laser and a TVLG-4 missile launcher - is adequate for the job of hunting down the improvised vehicles of rebels or planetary militia. Further weapons were omitted to save on cost. The 13 tons of armour are the bare minimum and struggle to hold off even small-arms fire. The bottom armour is practically non-existent, making the Hasta vulnerable to mines and trapfalls. In order to meet the government contract´s strict cost limit without completely sacrificing combat-worthiness, Kornilov-Santini cut corners in all areas not explicitly specified in the contract. As a result, most of the auxiliary systems are rather basic, there is no modular layout, redundancy and backups are practically non-existent, and the small size and narrow working space inside the Hasta make maintenance and repair unnecessarily difficult. It is virtually impossible to work on major assemblies without physically removing them from the vehicle, which in some cases necessitates the use of heavy lifting equipment. The hidden cost of the cheap vehicle comes in the price of replacement parts and the work hours of technicians. Legion mechanics have come to detest the vehicle, preferring to write even lightly damaged or worn-out Hastae off for salvage to repairing them. The crew compartment is similarly cramped and uncomfortable. Crew comfort was completely sacrificed to cost-effectiveness: driving and operating the Hasta is a chore. Working the controls requires manual dexterity and physical effort due to the awkward placing of the large turret computers jutting into the work space at odd angles. Driver fatigue is a constant problem. One of the crewmen involved in field-testing the vehicle complained that "a ride in a Hasta is like being sealed in a barrel and rolled down a rocky hillside". Deployment The Hasta was introduced in 6808 and first saw action in 6816, during the Dalvik District riots instigated by the Renegade underground. Its first combat assignments were against lightly armed protesters and unarmed civilians. Since then, the tank has become one of the most widely used ground vehicles in TOG space, surpassed only by the Vindicta. Its primary use is in reconnaissance, observing duty and listening patrols, all of which it proved to be able to perform well. Its secondary role, providing flank security and fire support to ground APCs, exposes the tanks to fire, and attrition tends to be high. Since TOG high command quite openly considers the "tin cans" and their inhabitants expendable, such missions are despised and feared by the crews. Trivia The Hasta´s description in the Centurion Vehicle Briefing sourcebook mentions the Hasta having "a six wheeled suspension common among light ground vehicles" and also mentions that the suspension is derived from that of the Vindicta medium ground APC. The picture of the Hasta, however, shows the tank having treads. Web Resources The Hasta´s Centurion vehicle sheet at knossos.firenebula.com Category:TOG Vehicles Category:Light Ground Tanks Category:Ground Vehicles Category:A to Z Index